An entry in the TFS Travel Journal
Another lovely night of sleep! We spent the morning lounging around this regal garden palace, appreciating the wonderful fresh air blowing in our open balcony doors and the incomparable views from every huge window. Milton then went for a walk (to stretch his driving legs) up to the Flagstaff - the lookout hill at the top of the town - and took some pictures of the two bays, the cute town, and the myriad islands. It was then time for our afternoon cruise around the Bay of Islands. We walked to the pier, stopping in the shops along the main (and basically only) street, buying nothing but a good veggie-pastry-pie and some dynamite macaroni and cheese from the local bakery.
The cruise went out to the famed “hole in the rock”, about 90 minutes away at leisurely cruise speed. Along the way, we saw the many small, lovely green islands for which Captain Cook named the bay early last century, as we meandered through the deep azure water. Although a bit windy, the weather was perfect and the broken clouds prevented the sun from getting too intense.
We arrived at the hole — a 40′ by 60′ space in the base of a large granite rock/island at the edge of the bay and the sea. While we snapped our pictures, a few of the tourist speed boats, with 20 or so passengers decked out in blue waterproof jumpsuits, edged up to the hole then zoomed through, dousing all aboard as the water was pretty active in there. We then turned around and headed back in, stopping at one of the larger islands on the way.
While there, we went aboard a small boat that has a large space below deck that is lined with big windows and made to simulate a submarine. About 16 or so people can sit comfortably and watch out the windows as the boat motors out into the bay and feeds the fish. We got an up close and personal view of several varieties of local aquatic life engaging in what can only be properly described as a feeding frenzy. After witnessing their afternoon tea (the crew’s daily joke), we went ashore and walked up a green hill to the lookout point. We were afforded a grand view of the bay, the islands, the sea and the many sheep grazing on the island right down to the beach. Then back aboard for the ride home.
Once ashore, we ambled back toward the Kimberley, stopping for a light dinner at Penny’s Diner. The seafood chowder was full of seafood, but much too creamy. The chicken salad was good, the pizza was alright, but it all really hit the spot and made a good base to absorb tonight’s larium. Then it was back home for a relaxing, early evening as we had to be up a bit earlier than usual for tomorrow’s long drive. Wendy got to check in with Fran Fine, then we chatted with our hostess, Libby, learning all about her experiences as a nanny in California and life in Russell. We also enjoyed two pieces of her freshly baked chocolate-poppyseed cake - with homemade whipped cream - which was light and delicious!